


A dog's life

by elletromil



Series: Stockings by the fireplace [23]
Category: Kingsman (Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Magic, Getting Together, Humor, M/M, Mutual Pining, turned into a god!Merlin
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-16
Updated: 2019-01-16
Packaged: 2019-10-09 21:54:16
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,956
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17413427
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/elletromil/pseuds/elletromil
Summary: Merlin has been turned into a dog and he's got seven days to find a way to let Harry knows he's in love with him. If not, he'll get stuck in animal form forever.





	A dog's life

**Author's Note:**

  * For [samebirthdaygirl](https://archiveofourown.org/users/samebirthdaygirl/gifts).



> Merry belated Christmas! Hope you had great holidays!
> 
> I hope you enjoy this small gift! I had a lot of fun writing it! Thank you for such an amusing prompt :D

Merlin hates a magic.

There’s a reason he stays well the fuck away from it even if he's one of the most powerful warlock of his generation. A reason why he is more than happy to keep tinkering with new technology instead.

Unfortunately, the same cannot be said of his godmother.

Which wouldn’t have been so bad if she hadn't taken interest in his love life or rather his lack of one.

But she had and now he has to find a way to let Harry knows about the torch he has been carrying for him since practically the day they’ve met.

In seven days.

While he's trapped in a dog’s body.

More precisely, _Harry_ ’s dog.

Merlin truly _hates_ magic.

 

Day 1 

“Hamish I'm home!” Harry calls from the front door and the only silver lining in all this bloody situation is that at least, it didn't happen with the late Mr Pickle. It's bad enough that he has to be a dog for a week. At least he won't suffer the indignity of a ridiculous name.

He runs fast to meet Harry, as fast as his little body can manage. He jumps at Harry's impossibly long legs, yipping with insistence, hoping that somehow, his friend will realise something is wrong.

But Harry simply laughs and sinks on the floor to be at his level.

“Well someone's happy to see me! I wish I was so well-welcomed everywhere I go!”

Then he starts petting Merlin and if he doesn't like being touched in his usual body, apparently it’s not the same in this one. He can feel his short tail waggling uncontrollably and before he can stop himself, he starts licking all over Harry's face.

It makes him laugh again, completely unbothered that he's being slobbered all over his suit.

“So affectionate tonight Hamish,” he says when he finally leans back and if he’s still smiling, there's something wistful in his eyes now.

Merlin makes to ask him what's wrong, but predictably only manages a yip.

“I guess you're hungry. So am I. Come on, dinner's on me.”

If he could, Merlin would snort at the silliness of the man, but frankly, he doesn't have the high ground on this one. Not when it makes his heart grow even fonder of his old friend.

 

Day 2 

Merlin doesn't leave Harry's side for a moment. He tries many times to find a way to communicate, but Harry only finds his antics amusing.

He'd despair about how unobservant Harry is for a spy, but it's not like he's got any real experience with magic.

He knows it exists, or at least believes Merlin when he told him it did, but that's the closest he's come in contact with it. Merlin has made sure of it. He might keep well enough away, but he's not stupid enough to not put up powerful shields around him and everyone he cares for.

So far, it worked well enough.

It's just too bad he never thought to protect himself from the well-meaning attempt at helping him find happiness from his family.

He slides his body in a sweater he hadn't been aware he had forgotten at Harry's and glares at him until he notices him, hoping against hope he’ll finally make the connection.

It's an utter failure and if Harry chuckles, he quickly takes the sweater away, something like guilt in the tension of his body.

“Let's hide this again and find you something else to play with.”

 

Day 3 

When Eggsy lets himself in that afternoon, he thinks he's finally saved.

The lad isn't nearly as powerful as he is, but he is a more than capable witch. He'll notice straight away that there's an enchantment on the dog he's bought Harry.

But even if he throws him a few curious looks, he says nothing and Merlin despairs.

That is, until Harry leaves them alone to prepare tea.

“Do I want to know?”

When he realises Eggsy is speaking to him, he perks up instantly.

“Are you playing a prank on him?”

He yips indignantly. Sure they take the piss at each other sometimes, but it's all in good humor. He'd never intrude on Harry's private life like this.

“Is it a curse? An experiment gone wrong?”

He whines in answer, because _if only_.

“So I'm guessing someone is trying to help you somehow?”

His tale wiggles and he yips excitedly because _yes_ that's precisely it, he knew he liked the lad for a reason. Now he's going to get help and he won't have to figure out a way to reveal his most well-kept secret when he can't even bloody _talk_.

“Sucks to be you then guv’. I ain't touching those kind of enchantment for anything in the world.”

Before he can even think of biting Eggsy out of spite because how dare he betray him so horribly, Harry comes back with a tray filled with tea, scones and doggy treats.

In a body governed by instincts, it's rather hard to remember why he’s supposed to be angry with such an appealing smell wafting in the air.

 

Day 4 

They’re standing in front of his locked office, Harry looking utterly confused.

“Well that’s weird.”

Merlin agrees with a yip. If he still had fingers, he’d be crossing them, hoping that this is finally the moment Harry figures everything out.

“I know Hamish. Merlin _never_ takes vacation.”

Another yip in agreement.

But instead of following that line of thought, Harry sighs dejectedly.

“He could have at least _told_ me.”

A frustrated growl.

“Oh, come on now Hamish. I wouldn’t have bothered him if I had known. He deserves to rest away from everything. And I know I’m anything but restful.” He smiles ruefully, before turning away from the door, walking briskly back where they came from.

Merlin stays where he is for a moment, wondering what that was all about.

He’s not used to Harry being anything but cheerful and teasing. That self-depreciation is weirding him out. Especially because he doesn’t know _why_ Harry seems to be so down.

He’ll just have to work extra hard to break the enchantment and then he can work on the mystery and help him out of whatever funk he’s fallen into.

 

Day 5 

That evening, Merlin is half asleep on Harry’s lap when he’s woken up by curious sounds. It takes him a moment to realise it’s Harry making the sounds, that he’s _sobbing_ quietly while watching the end of some asinine romcom or another. Merlin zoned out on the movie when Harry started scratching between his ears.

He turns and tries to climb Harry’s chest, doing his best to make what is an inquiring sound.

Harry chuckles out a sob and gently wrap his arms around Merlin’s tiny canine body, pressing his face against his flank.

“It’s okay Hamish, I’m okay. I’m just being an old fool. Don’t worry.”

But when Harry finally goes to bed, there are still silent tears rolling down his cheeks and Merlin would have to be a monster not to get worried.

 

Day 6 

He slept in the bed with Harry last night, not minding that he was half smothered under his arm.

He wishes he could be in his own body instead, but he’ll take that. Anyway, with the week coming to a close, he should get use to it. There’s simply no way he can let Harry knows how much he loves him when Harry has no idea he’s been right there with him for the past days.

He guesses there are worse fates than this.

He’s pretty sure that even if he were to declare himself to Harry, he wouldn’t get to wake him with kisses and be rewarded by his carefree laughter.

He’s in love with Harry yes, but Harry doesn't love him back.

The pain of unreciprocated love is hard to bear even after all this time.

 

Day 7 

Merlin is very careful not to make any sound as he follows Harry into his flat.

Maybe he should be mad that Harry would let himself in without being invited, but he’s given him a key for a reason. He trusts him. And Harry has finally caught on the fact that it’s not normal that Merlin has gone on vacation without anyone remembering him even telling so.

He’s on the hunt for clues now and maybe it’ll be too late, but at least he cares. Not that Merlin has ever doubted that. Harry might not be in love with him, but that doesn’t change the fact they’ve been best mates for years. _Decades_.

Of course Harry cares.

He’s wondering how he can possibly let Harry knows that he’s _right here_ , has been for the past week when Harry suddenly stops at the desk in his home office.

He wonders what could possibly be so fascinating when he suddenly remembers what he keeps there.

Now Merlin’s not usually one for mementos. Not at work anyway. But here, in the sanctuary of his flat, it’s different. Nobody ever comes here. The most socializing he does outside of Kingsman is hanging out with Harry and they usually do that at his house.

So it’s entirely safe for him to have pictures on his desk. And it doesn’t matter that they are all of Harry and him through the years, it’s not like anyone will see them.

Except someone is.

Harry _is_.

And sure, vaguely he knows it’s a good thing, because he _wants_ Harry to figure out he loves him so that the enchantment will be broken, but he thought he could do so with some dignity.

There’s no way Harry won’t be thinking he’s some obsessed and desperate weirdo and will refuses to talk to him from now on.

But Harry doesn’t seem shocked or uncomfortable. From his awkward angle on the floor, Merlin would even say he looks _fond_.

Gently, Harry raises a hand and brushes a finger against one of the picture, as if to stroke picture!Merlin’s cheek.

“Please be okay. I don’t know what I will do if you’re not.”

For a moment Merlin can only stare with incomprehension. Then the proverbial clue by four hits him. _Hard_.

Fuck but it _hurts_ to change back into human form after a week stuck in a canine one.

Hamish, now back in full possession of his body, starts yapping like crazy while Merlin tries to catch his breath and Harry turns back, gun pointed at his head in a movement so quick Merlin barely sees it.

“Merlin? What the fuck?”

He’d like to explain, he really would and he probably should, but what comes out is this.

“You’re in love with me.”

It sounds like an accusation, but it’s not. Thankfully, Harry doesn’t take it badly, just looks strangely defiant.

“Yes I am. Have been since I first laid eyes on you. It doesn’t have to change anything.”

And he sees it now, the fear in Harry’s eyes that somehow, he’ll lose Merlin if he dares to speak about what has been between them all those years.

They’ve been so fucking _stupid_.

“Well it should. Help me out will you, I’m too old to make out on the floor.”

Harry stares at him for a while until he realises he’s heard him right and then nearly trips in his haste to help him up.

 

Day 8 

Turns out, the way to break his godmother’s spell wasn't to declare himself but rather for him to figure out he was loved.

Apparently, she was tired of him being oblivious and wasting so much time when he could be happy. He might have to agree he was being a complete idiot.

He still hates magic though.


End file.
